risk management in conservation and collections …...largest doll collections in the united kingdom...
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Risk management in Conservation and Collections Care A practical application of a risk management tool
Andor Vince
The Risk Manager The Consultant
‘Risk Management is the application of available resources in such a
way that overall risk is minimized’
Robert Waller
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County Council
Conservation
Department
City Council
Friends
Internal staff
Curator
Security person
Building maintenance
Comparative Conditions
• Provenance
• Representativeness
• Rarity
• Condition or integrity
Primary Significance
• Historic
• Social & spiritual
• Scientific
• Aesthetic
What is at risk?
Statement of significance: XX is a Grade II listed building, dating back to the 14th Century, currently housing around
10,000 objects. It displays original period objects from Tudor to Victorian England, reflecting customs and the use of
every day objects from these periods. In 1900 the house was opened as a folk museum, one of the first of its kind in
Britain. Besides period objects the Museum, in its over 100 years of existence, collected objects related to the history of
YY, mainly of local significance, such as paintings, manuscripts and textile collections. The museum houses one of the
largest doll collections in the United Kingdom and a collection of rare musical instruments, from which two instruments
are the only examples of their kind in Europe.
Collections Significance
Building
The building reflects a typical house of the wealthy middle class from 15th to 19th centuries.
The majority of the rooms are original and reflect the house from different periods during its
history. The oldest part of the building dates to the14th C
Furniture Period furniture from 14th to 19th Century, with some objects originally belonging to the historic
house. Local importance
Paintings Mostly portraits of local eminencies through the centuries. High importance to local history of
YY
Textiles
Textile manufactured in YY from Medieval times, with some exceptional examples from 18th
century. High local and of some national importance
Doll collection One of the biggest doll collections in UK from15th to early 20th C. High national and some
international importance
Musical instruments Collection of musical instruments from medieval period. High national significance
Rare musical
instruments
Rare medieval period instruments of international importance
What is at risk?
Significance can grow or fade over time – it requires revision!
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Risk identification
Risk identification is a group exercise!
Ten Agents of Deterioration
Physical forces Pollutants
Thieves and vandals Light and UV
Fire Incorrect temperature
Water Incorrect relative humidity
Pests Dissociation
Risk
ID Risk name Risk summary sentence
1.
2.
3.
Cloth bearing moth damages
textile
Daylight changes the colour
of textile
Daylight from windows will cause
fading of textile on display
Cloth bearing moths will consume
textile objects in store resulting in
chewing damage
Lack of funding
Lack of funding causes
deterioration of a heritage
asset
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Risk = Probability + Impact
Risk = Probability + Impact Event: How often?
Cumulative: How soon?
Scoring the Frequency
In ten years 20 paintings were damaged
Risk = Probability + Impact Event: How often?
Cumulative: How soon? Object Collection
Loss of value Visualisation
Total or almost
total loss of value
Large loss of value
Small loss of value
Tiny loss of value
Miniscule loss of value 3
3
1
4
5
6
7
Scoring the Impact
• 300 paintings (4%), of which half are in poor storage conditions
• 150 are susceptible to damage (2%)
• In ten years 20 paintings were damaged = 0.3%
Scoring the impact on the whole collection
Scoring the Impact
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Risk
Reduction option 1: Reduction option 2:
Frequency
Loss of value
Items
affected
MR
Cost
5 theft incidents
in 10 years –
every 2-4 years
Total
Install motion alarms at
barriers
50% reduction in theft
can be assumed
Total
Theft of more than
one object unlikely
10.6 11
£250 + £30/year
Move portable
objects out of reach
Tiny fraction of
collection value
75% of reduction in
theft can be assumed
Total
£340 + £70/year
Opportunistic theft of objects on open display by a member of the public
Theft of more than
one object unlikely
10.4
Cost-Effectiveness
CE: cost-effectiveness; cost effectiveness analysis compares relative costs and effects of different
treatment options in order to inform decision-makers as to where to allocate limited collection care
resources.
Grading of cost-effectivness: very high (), high (), moderate () and low ()
Risk reduction
options MR
MR
remaining Cost CE
Opportunistic theft 11
Install motion alarms 10.6 £250
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Move portable
objects out of reach 10.4 £370
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Install CCTV cameras 10.5 £££
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• It is inclusive!
• Help establish priorities in collection care
• Significant role in developement of collections care programmes
• Valuable in preparing for a disaster
•Talks the language of management
• Offers different risk treatment options
• Provide cost-effectivness analysis for treatment options
• Results of the risk management report can be used in fund raising
Conclusion
